Arrington: Should the Pats move him to Safety in 2011?

[mgteich]

Apparently, for many there is a critical need for an upgrade our #4 and #5 corners. Folks seem fine with McCourty, Bodden and Apprington, although some want to make Arrington a safety.

For me, we are all set with Bodden, McCourty and Arrington. Butler and Wilhite are probably as good as most #4 and #5 corners. Folks consider tham failures because thaey are not shut down, all-pro starters. WE DON'T NEED THEM TO BE STARTERS! We have two starters and a backup for 2011. We need Butler and Wilhite to be competitive nickel and dime backs. Even there, our safeties (and perhaps Arrington) can take on the nickel and or dime roles.

BOTTOM LINE
I don't see the critical need to upgrade our #4 corner posiition. We have Butler and Wilhite to compete for that roster spot and role. The loser of this camp competition can compete with the speical teamers for the #9 and/or #10 db roster spot. Sergio Brown is our #9 defensive back at the moment. Carter is our #10.

 

[aabtec]

Kyle Arrington to Safety??

In the TSN Mock draft thread someone threw out the idea of trading Merriweather and moving Arrington to Safety? Thoughts?

Merry Christmas everyone...

 

[yopats]

Funny.... I thought this a couple games back but was too afraid to post or suggest this lol

]

Me too.. especially with all the sub packages BB uses.. it gives them some crazy flexibility and with either Bodden or a Draft Pick at CB next year you got to get this kid on the field..

Merriweather is not a good tackler and often whiffs on the potential big hits - a liability on this defense.

He plays his own game which is why I agree with the earlier statement that he is the LoMo of this defense.

I just don't see BM as much as I do think he is adequate fitting into the long term plans of this team..

The Pats need to draft another CB or two. You can never have enough CBs in this defense. Beyond Bodden, McDroy and Arrington, the cupboards are bare.

Hope is not a plan and Wilhite and Butler both suck. Both have dropped to the bottom of the depth chart. Weve seen what the NE pass D looks like with Jonathan Wilhite manning one CB position.

Furthermore, Bodden will be 30 next season returning from injury and there is no gaurantee that he will will return to 2009 form, new 5 year contract or not. Also, theres no better time to draft and groom Boddens replacement.

Agreed this draft is loaded with very capable CB's that would give us depth and talent while allowing Butler to function in slot role which I feel is more suited to him..

 

[yopats]

Re: Kyle Arrington to Safety??

In the TSN Mock draft thread someone threw out the idea of trading Merriweather and moving Arrington to Safety? Thoughts?

Merry Christmas everyone...

I digg it.. makes a lot of sense in terms of the evolution of this defense and the role of the subpackage and how much flexibility that would give us..

 

[Captain Cliche]

Merriweather has been disiplined this season by BB what, 3 times that we know of? Obviously a knuckle head. The Eagles would love to have him.

 

[tobias funke]

I'm not really sure why we'd want to replace Meriweather. Aside from the absolutely dreadful angle that he took the other night, he's played solid for us this season. He's come up with a few turnovers and has laid the wood on opposing receivers over the middle. He's also assisted in run support and is not a liability in coverage. Why would we want to replace him with Arrington?

It's a good question you're asking.

I am boggled by what some people claim to know about our defensive secondary. It makes me feel like they must have access to the All-22 tape, because I never feel like I'm in a position to make a determination about anything I rarely see on television.

The only information that helps me form my decision about our defenders are the few plays I get to see them in coverage, and how the coaches regulate their playing time (which often can be a product of things we know very little about, i.e. Merriweather and meetings, etc.).

And I rarely feel like I have enough of it to make an informed statement on how good X or Y is. And I personally don't feel comfortable judging someone's entire body of work based on one or two bad plays that lead to TDs.

I also have to remind myself that the other team gets paid to play, also, and a lot of things can be related to the defensive scheme. Not every completion is automatically an incompletion or interception if our guy has a different, more popular nametag on his back.

 

[mgteich]

OK, Meriweather has needed discipline 3 times. Why do you think that means that he is not good enough to be a role playing defensive back for the patriots in 2011?

Merriweather has been disiplined this season by BB what, 3 times that we know of? Obviously a knuckle head. The Eagles would love to have him.

 

[blackglass3]

On Arrington: Why make him the safety when he is already our CB/LDE? But seriously, he's made such great strides since he was brought in last year. He's grown into his role very well, and next year having him (or Bodden, I suppose) as the 3 with Bulter at 4 is a luxury most teams wish they had. Leave him in the CB role, he's doing it very well.

On Meriweather: I know I am a huge supporter for the guy, but I don't agree with the "LoMo on D" assessment. Meri has never been benched for stretches of games like LoMo, and his work ethic/toughness has never been questioned like Maroney.

I do agree that last years Pro Bowl nod probably went to his head which lead to his early season problems. And sure, his running into McCourty was a bad play. But if we're going to bash everyone for one bad play we'll hate our entire team, and most players from the past.

The haters on this website gloat over everything he does that supports their opinion of him, and continue to gloss over what he does well. Sure, he almost beheaded Todd Heap...how many big catches have been made over the middle since then? Yes, he took a bad angle at CJ "One Of The Fastest Guys In The League" Spiller and on the McCourty mistake. He also made some solid tackles on Kunh the other night. But this place can get so Monkey See Monkey Do over Meriweather when the haters start coming out of the woodwork and it gets to the point where you'd think he belongs on our practice squad. It's just piling on BS that leads to negativity like when reading the Game Thread.

Why did Meriweather get to be PatsFans #1 villian? Why do posters still call him "Stomper", but don't say that about Randy Moss? Moss put a guy in the hospital stomping him...Meri got into a team fight and stomped the guy 3 times while trying to defend another teammate. Besides that one incident, he has NEVER been involved in anything negative. When do we start bashing Brady for ditching Pregnant Bridget, or Big Vince for taking out JP Losman's knee?

I just don't get this place sometimes.

 

[patriotscpfc]

Without reading the entire thread,

I think that Arrington would be a very good Slot CB.

He's excellent at the Line of Scrimmage with holding receivers on the line.

He stuffed Boldin for 4 quarters and OT bar 5 or 6 plays.

Of course, you need safety help against a top WR, but if Arrington went inside on a guy like Shipley, I'd bet he would get no more than 2 catches against him.

 

[patriotscpfc]

On Arrington: Why make him the safety when he is already our CB/LDE? But seriously, he's made such great strides since he was brought in last year. He's grown into his role very well, and next year having him (or Bodden, I suppose) as the 3 with Bulter at 4 is a luxury most teams wish they had. Leave him in the CB role, he's doing it very well.

On Meriweather: I know I am a huge supporter for the guy, but I don't agree with the "LoMo on D" assessment. Meri has never been benched for stretches of games like LoMo, and his work ethic/toughness has never been questioned like Maroney.

I do agree that last years Pro Bowl nod probably went to his head which lead to his early season problems. And sure, his running into McCourty was a bad play. But if we're going to bash everyone for one bad play we'll hate our entire team, and most players from the past.

The haters on this website gloat over everything he does that supports their opinion of him, and continue to gloss over what he does well. Sure, he almost beheaded Todd Heap...how many big catches have been made over the middle since then? Yes, he took a bad angle at CJ "One Of The Fastest Guys In The League" Spiller and on the McCourty mistake. He also made some solid tackles on Kunh the other night. But this place can get so Monkey See Monkey Do over Meriweather when the haters start coming out of the woodwork and it gets to the point where you'd think he belongs on our practice squad. It's just piling on BS that leads to negativity like when reading the Game Thread.

Why did Meriweather get to be PatsFans #1 villian? Why do posters still call him "Stomper", but don't say that about Randy Moss? Moss put a guy in the hospital stomping him...Meri got into a team fight and stomped the guy 3 times while trying to defend another teammate. Besides that one incident, he has NEVER been involved in anything negative. When do we start bashing Brady for ditching Pregnant Bridget, or Big Vince for taking out JP Losman's knee?

I just don't get this place sometimes.

His work ethic is poor. It's been said by multiple journalists that Meriweather has been late for meetings.

And he has been benched.

Chung and Sanders are the starters. Page is coming in after them a lot of the time, and then Meriweather comes in after that.

Meriweather only really comes in when Chung has to go to Slot CB.

 

[MustaphaM0nd]

Relax people.

Meriweather has by and large done his job this season. He has been the deep safety who makes sure things don't get behind the kids. Compared to the level of execution everywhere else on this D, he's done an OK job.

Where is the thread criticizing McCourty for getting beat by James Jones? What about Ninkovich? What about Arrington and Chung? Banta-Cain should have "learned" by now to stop committing stupid personal fouls at the end of games, but he still does it.

Its not that I'm a big fan of Meriweather, I like Arrington more to be honest. But I can look at every player and see what they're doing right and what they're doing wrong. Why do you all have to put 21 players on a pedestal and crucify the last one?

 

[mgteich]

So, if we checked the defensive reps, we'd see that Meriweather has fewer reps than Page? Nonsense!

If you believe what you say, just post the number of reps by game for the safeties. Surely Meriweather is always at the bottom of the four.

His work ethic is poor. It's been said by multiple journalists that Meriweather has been late for meetings.

And he has been benched.

Chung and Sanders are the starters. Page is coming in after them a lot of the time, and then Meriweather comes in after that.

Meriweather only really comes in when Chung has to go to Slot CB.

 

[blackglass3]

His work ethic is poor. It's been said by multiple journalists that Meriweather has been late for meetings.

And he has been benched.

Chung and Sanders are the starters. Page is coming in after them a lot of the time, and then Meriweather comes in after that.

Meriweather only really comes in when Chung has to go to Slot CB.

Getting benched for a few plays at the beginning of a game and getting benched for the last 6 games of a season and the playoffs are a world of difference.

And I have heard of Meriweather being late for 1 meeting since he has been here.

And he does not "only really come in" when Chung is on the slot CB. Usually, he "only really comes in" for 3/4 of the game.

 

[MustaphaM0nd]

Without reading the entire thread,

I think that Arrington would be a very good Slot CB.

He's excellent at the Line of Scrimmage with holding receivers on the line.

He stuffed Boldin for 4 quarters and OT bar 5 or 6 plays.

Of course, you need safety help against a top WR, but if Arrington went inside on a guy like Shipley, I'd bet he would get no more than 2 catches against him.

Honestly, I'd like to see Arrington and Bodden used in nickel the way Green Bay used Tramon Williams and Charles Woodson the other night. Instead of the nickel back (Arrington) covering good slot receivers, move Bodden into the slot and put Arrington on the boundary.

 

[tobias funke]

Face it, if an NFL coach doesn't believe he understands how well his players played until he watches the tape of every single play (in slow motion, replayed multiple times), viewing tape that shows all 22 players on the field... why are we able to say we know better about something like this from what we get to see on TV?

Can someone please answer this question for me, because out of everything about football, this is the one thing that makes me feel like a stupid fan.

 

[primetime]

Meriweather has had more reps than anyone in the secondary besides McCourty this season, and despite occasional inconsistent play has been pretty good and remains an above average safety in the league.

Also this is the greatest quote in history

His size and the style of his play is compatible with Ed Reed

Kyle Arrington is 'compatible with Ed Reed'

Please never mention Kyle Arrington and the greatest safety to ever play in the same sentence again, thank you

 

[mgteich]

Some speak as if the safety position is a weakness on this team for 2010 or for 2011. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is 2012 that is a POTENTIAL issue.

2010
This year, we have solid play from FOUR safeties. They have been so good that they have also play nickel back at times.

2011
Presuming we re-sign Page or McGowan or some other veteran backup, we will have the same safeties next year as this. If Page is healthy, we could be seriously improved. Even the 5th or 6th safety position will be competitive with Brown, Barrett and Lockett competing for those special teams spots (Carter would also be in the mix).

2012
It is here that we have an issue since we only have Chung and Brown signed this far out. Re-signing Page and extending Sanders would solidfy the future at little cost. perhaps Meriweather will back in 2012, perhaps not. Obviously, there is also no guarantee on re-signing Page or extending Sanders.

Because of the 2012 issues, the team will likely look for a safety in the draft. As I have said, that will not be at all critical if Sanders in extended and Page is signed to a 3 year contract. I hope for these moves long before the draft.

 

[JSn]

Arrington is a very solid if not above average Corner who is getting better. His play won us a game on Sunday.

He's clearly, AT WORST, our #3 Corner next year. A #3 gets a LOT of playing time between disguises, sub-packages, and rotation reps. Get this D-Line healthy (and a play-maker in round ONE next year) and these corners will seem to be ALL WORLD.

Meri and Pippin... er, Chung... are a nice Safety tandem. And I think Page is making a case for himself as well. If Sanders stays healthy he's got a few years left to roam around the secondary and he's been playing pretty physical this season.

My theory is draft a CB and Safety in the 2nd or third and address the lines EARLY (Center, Tackle, 3-4 DE). Fix that D-Line and look out kiddies...

 

[cstjohn17]

Arrington is a fine special teamer, so good that he has a roster spot as a special teamer.

Arrington has surprised most and has been an adequate corner. He is learning and will likely get better as a corner.This gives Arrington a solid role as a backup corner. With Bodden back, he will certainly be given the chance to compete at nickel and dime. In any case, he will be the backup to Bodden and McCourty.

There is exactly zero reason to try to teach him a new position and hope that he will succeed. Why safety? Why not OLB? If we need a safety, we should draft or sign a safety or two. If we need an OLB, we draft or sign an OLB or two. Meanwhile, Arrington can continue to be valuable as a corner.

Bingo, since when is having too many CBs a bad thing? Arrington has played great, starting the majority of the games opposite of McCourty.

I am in the Merriweather is just a little off category but he plays well enough and their is a strong possibility that without a CBA player to player trades will not be allowed.

 

[Kontradiction]

Well, he's demonstrated a tendency towards inconsistency with the incident you described as one of several instances. He also appears to struggle getting the secondary lined up, which may be his greater sin.

The more important question is what happens to him after 2011 when he's a free agent? Both Meriweather and Chung required a year before they saw any steady playing time, if NE is put into the position of replacing Meriweather it doesn't hurt to start thinking about it for this draft class. Arrington, as some have suggested, isn't a great fit for the role, but Bodden would be ideal. I'd love to see the NE secondary in a couple more seasons if they can find the right player or Meriweather cleans up his game - Law and Harrison used to confuse teams by changing up the coverage, Bodden and McCourty both appear capable of executing those kind of games if the right Safety(s) develop.

Personally, I think our best secondary next year would be with Bodden lining up at RCB and McCourty lining up at LCB. Meriweather and Chung could be the starting duo in the defensive backfield with Chung having the ability to come down and play the slot, if need be. I would agree with your general assessment about Meriweather though. The only thing I could say to respond to that is the fact that Chung and Meriweather compliment each other perfectly. Meriweather is better in coverage and is more of a ball hawk than Chung is while Chung stays in position more and is better in run support.

Meriweather does make some mental errors. I'll grant you that. But this defense, despite the fact that we were starting some very young and inexperienced corners this season, hasn't allowed a litany of deep plays to the opposing offense. The safety play is a big reason for that, and Meriweather has been very much a part of that.